The end of the Soviet Union
in 1991 brought on shortages in just about every part of Russian society-especially
in the area of extracurricular activities such as sports.

Vladimir
State Pedagogical University basketball team with their donated
Western Michigan uniforms

With the help of Bob Kief
(retired Illinois State University Athletic Trainer) and Joyce Kief
(ISU Physical Education Professor), the first stage of our efforts
to assist the basketball program in Vladimir involved the donation
of uniforms and some inexpensive basketballs. Uniforms were provided
by Western Michigan University (where former ISU coach Bob Donewald
was then coaching) and Illinois State University High School.

In 1996 we sponsored the first
"4th of July" Street Ball Tournament-coinciding with the anniversary
of the dedication of the American Home in 1992. The next tournament
was held in 1998. From 2000 through 2009, the tournament was held every
year on the Saturday before or after the Fourth of July.

In April 2000 we managed
to get Illinois State University High School varsity head coach, Cal
Hubbard, to Vladimir. In the previous 10 years his teams had advanced
to the state finals seven times, winning the championship in 1995.
He put on very well attended four-days of clinics. In addition to
his expertise, he brought a substantial number of good quality balls-which
were still very difficult to find in Russia (and very expensive)-T-shirts,
an electric pump, and other basketball related items.

"I learned about Russian
basketball and how they run their programs for high school age students.
In turn, I was able to share high school basketball as it is played
and taught in the U.S. During the clinics, we were able to teach fundamentals,
American-style, and how to adapt skills and philosophies to fit the
game as it is played in Russia. Our entire visit was a great learning
experience, and it did much to bridge the gap between the two countries
in terms of basketball." Cal Hubbard

Coach Hubbard
talking with Russian coaches in Vladimir

In June 2001 a senior Vladimir
basketball coach, Alexander (Sasha) Vlasov, and an English-speaking
student, Alexei Ananiev, who was studying to be a coach, traveled
to Illinois to observe Coach Hubbard's spring clinics. They stayed
with the Hubbards-and learned a great deal. In February 2002 Sasha
Vlasov put on a well attended one-day clinic in Vladimir drawing on
Coach Hubbard's instructional approach. The demand for the clinic
was so great that it had to be repeated in March.

In October
2002 a well received three-day clinic was organized by Coach Vlasov
who teaches at the Vladimir Juridical Institute. He also currently
coaches three young women's teams. (Sasha would very much like to
come to the US to do research for his "Ph.D." dissertation.
He wants to compare the Russian approach to "physical education"
to the American approach.)

Sasha Vlasov,
an interpreter, and Cal Hubbard,
April 2000

In 2003 we were given four
dozen smaller "girls" balls by the Illinois State University
women's team. The balls had been given out during summer clinics-and
were left over after a coaching change.

It took more than two years
to get all of the donated balls hand carried to Vladimir-where they
were very much appreciated. (Among other places, the colorful balls
were given to the Youth Colony (juvenile prison), the basketball summer
camp (along with t-shirts and other "prizes" for their tournament),
another summer camp, and several different schools.)

Initially, girls had to
use the larger men's ball. They now use the smaller ball.

In June 2005 a sixteen-year-old
Vladimir basketball player, Roman Mekheikin, spent a month in Bloomington-Normal
attending two of Coach Hubbard's clinics, as well as ISU and Illinois
Wesleyan University clinics. He had a great experience-and both of
the host families he stayed with wanted him to return. This didn't
work out. But he went on to play for one of the best university teams
in the Vladimir area. They made it to the Russian national finals
several times.

As noted above, in 1996
the American Home sponsored its first three-on--three Street Ball
Tournament. One of the major attractions of this invitation-only tournament
was the prizes we were able to come up with. These included good quality
"special design" American basketballs that could not be
found in Russia. Many of the prizes were donated. For example, a member
of the 2005 "tourism development" tour group from Arizona
donated several Phoenix Suns items, including some signed photos.

In July 2009 we hosted
our final men's Street Ball tournament. We will be replacing that
with a tournament for under-18 boys.

In September 2009 we cosponsored
a Street Ball tournament for girls teams with the city sports department
and the regional basketball association. Ten teams participated, including
one from the Moscow region-which won the tournament.

The ISU women's basketball
program provided a number of items, including small souvenir "basketballs"
which were given to each of the participants. The two top players
who received high quality basketball shoes were especially pleased.
The tournament was very well received by both the players and coaches.
They all wanted it to become an annual event. We are going to make
every effort to oblige them.

Slam dunk contest
Only the outdoor baskets can handle dunking. Both the outdoor surface
and the gym floors leave a lot to be desired. When Coach Hubbard gave
his clinic, he mentioned that players should always be looking around
when dribbling-not looking at the ball. It was pointed out to him
that given the condition of the gym floors, his advice was impractical.